The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) is to simulate a cyber attack on the US in order to gain an insight into how the government would develop a real-time response to a large-scale cyber crisis.

Exclusive A digital attack against the UK causing even minor damage would have a "catastrophic" effect on public confidence in the government, GCHQ has privately warned Whitehall.   The Cheltenham spy agency's new Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC) makes the prediction in a document prepared for Cabinet Office and seen by The Register.

A think-tank of defence interests is planning a a cyber attack on America’s infrastructure on February 16 to scare the country into buying their products.

     Cyber ShockWave says the simulation aims to “provide an unprecedented look at how the government would develop a real-time response to a large-scale cyber crisis affecting much of the nation.”

      Dusting off a bit of communist scare stuff, the outfit wants to show how vulnerable the US is to cyber attack from China and Russia as possible enemies.

     According to the outfit the cyber attack is going to be war-gamed, in public, for all the country to see.

     It will be quite realistic, featuring senior intelligence and national security officials, including former directors of intelligence agencies and combatant commands and homeland security advisers.

     John Negroponte will be a fictional Secretary of State. Ex-DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff will be the National Security Adviser. Fran Townsend, the former White House Homeland Security Adviser, will be the secretary of DHS. Former CIA deputy director John McLaughlin will be the Director of National Intelligence.

    But there is something darker behind the whole thing.

     The simulation has the backing of several companies including General Dynamics who just happen to make a fortune flogging security gear to the government.

     Other members of the think tank include makers of military hardware Lockheed Martin which has already given the thumbs up to provide security gear to fight any cyber war. There is also L-3 Communications, JPMorgan Securities, and the Aspen Institute.

     The BPC advisory board consists of Howard Baker, Tom Daschle, Bob Dole, and George Mitchell. In other words a bunch of establishment neocons and neolibs.

     Now that using global terrorism as an excuse to buy expensive technology is starting to wear off , it seems that the BPC wants to make the world+dog scared of Chinese and Russian cyber attack.

     Tinfoil hat wearers have already pointed out that the recent Google attack by China was blown out of proportion by practically everyone. Google later admitted its products and customer data were not affected by the attack. Yet the establishment helped to hype it.

     The planned BPC simulated attack will be staged less than two weeks after the House overwhelmingly passed The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act. Something that gives the Obama administration the power to switch off the Internet. No doubt something that would probably have not gone through so quickly if it had not been based on a fear of Chinese aggression in the wake of the Google attack.

     The bill is now in the Senate for consideration.

     Basically it all appears to be government and large corporations sticking cigarettes under the sprinkler systems to encourage American's to back more spending on cyber security.

      And who will benefit from all this? Come on down General Dynamics and L-3 Communications who just happen to be behind a simulation next week.

by Nick Farrell

View this article at: http://www.techeye.net/security/think-tank-plans-cyber-attack-on-us

Cyber terrorism represents a much unknown facet of extreme Islamic terrorism.

One must be extremely knowledgeable and well-versed in multi disciplines to gain a deep understanding of the professional meaning and potential destructive impact that cyber terrorism has on modern economies, national security and politics, and virtually on every aspect of our daily life.

Dark Web terrorism, the “military” version of cyber terrorism application is known even less.

Terrorists have become skilled operators in cyberspace, using the online world to send messages, plan operations and distribute propaganda.That's in addition to the threat of computer-based attacks on critical systems all over the globe.Pittsburgh plays a big role in the cyber war on terror and on Wednesday, the director of the FBI was in town to talk about it.

"If we lose the Internet, we do not simply lose the ability to e-mail or to surf the Web. We lose access to our data. We lose our connectivity. We lose our intellectual property. We lose our security.

While much attention is focused on the protection of private personal information, there has been little public discussion of the real potential for attacks on our critical infrastructure.  We occasionally see a committee meeting or short lived news program, but there is little sustained public debate and consideration of this vital issue. 

A recent denial-of-service attack on government and private sector computer systems in Estonia has spurred renewed interest in cybersecurity.

The Bush Administration is preparing to unveil a major "Cyber Initiative" designed to thwart malicious acts by states or transnational threats. Congress is pressing for details and consultation on the plan, and the House Homeland Security Committee recently announced the creation of a commission to study the government's proposals.

As these efforts get underway, Congress and the Administration need to ensure that their initiatives meet all of the nation's priorities: enhancing security, promoting economic growth, and preserving the liberty and privacy of American citizens and respecting those of our friends and allies.

Interpol president Jackie Selebi said Interpol would soon put in place a new system called I-LINK which would allow specialized crime investigators to instantly check and exchange information from the body's databases on terrorism, child exploitation, drugs and high-tech crime.

"The tools we have put in place have an almost unlimited potential to further strengthen global policing," he said.

"We must continue to anticipate future crime threats and act now to prevent now," he said.

Terrorism and human trafficking are also high on the agenda of the assembly, as well as the opening in Vienna next year of an Interpol anti-corruption school, the first world training body dedicated to the fight against graft.